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SYNERGY AYURYOGA

Although Yoga and Ayurveda are two different Vedic traditions, one is incomplete
without the other. If Ayurveda heals the physical body, Yoga heals and purifying
the mind and the consciousness. Both the sciences complement and embrace each
other.

The ancient rishis (seers) were the original masters of all Vedic sciences. They
realized that good health is an asset on the path of Self-realization. If the
physical body is neglected it can easily become an obstacle to spiritual practice.
One cannot sit still for long time to perform meditation if his physical body is
not healthy. So both Yoga and Ayurveda works in a synergistic way where ayurveda
prevents and heals various disorders and cleanse and rejuvenate the body, yoga
introduces him with his inner self.

Not only their philosophies are same but they propound some similar practices too.
Both the systems require same kind of attitude. They practice similar rules of
nutrition, hygiene, exercise, cleansing and spiritual teaching. Both the sciences
were being taught in the Gurukul System where a deciple was required to take care
of entire premises and does all the work of his Guru (The Teacher).Guru used to
teach him all the lessons of life, health and spirituality according to his
caliber, while performing their daily works. Life was very strict and disciplined
inside a Gurukula.Later these disciplines and hardships of life used to serve as a
foundation for a life of Sadhana (spiritual practices).

Nowadays, the teachings of Yoga are easily available to all. People start
practicing it without proper preparation, discipline and even without checking
their caliber. This has some positives, in the sense that more people can be
turned on to its teachings, although much is often lost without the parampara, or
close guidance of an accomplished master. Knowledge of ayurveda can solve this
problem. The principles of ayurveda if propagated and practiced as a daily
routine, will bring the required disciplines among followers .Knowledge of their
basic body constitution and doshic dominance will tell them their needs and
capabilities.

First, let’s take a look at the similarities between Yoga and Ayurveda:

* Both are ancient Vedic teachings and cultural and spiritual heritage of
India.

* Both recognize that keeping the body healthy is vital for fulfilling the four
aims of life: Dharma (duty), Artha (wealth), Kama (desire), and Moksha
(liberation).

* Both recognize that the balance of doshas (humors), dhatus (tissues), and malas
(waste products) is essential for maintaining a good health.

* Both share virtually the same metaphysical anatomy and physiology, which
consists of 72,864 nadis (subtle channels), 7 main chakras (energy centers), 5
bodily sheaths, and the Kundalini Shakti (energy).

* Both advocate the use of diet, herbs, asana, pranayama, meditation, mantra,
astrology, prayer, puja, and rituals for healing the entire being.

* Both encourage physical health as a good foundation for mental, emotional, and
spiritual well-being.

* Both share the same view on psychology. Ayurveda embraces all six of the main
schools of philosophy including the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali and Vedanta (a non-
dual philosophical and spiritual path). They both understand that the attachment
to the body-mind complex is the root cause of all suffering and that the ultimate
state of health is experienced when we abide in our true nature, which is total
peace, regardless of the state of the physical body.

* Both use cleansing methods for the body, all of which encourage the removal of
waste products and toxins through their natural routes of elimination. Ayurveda
has Panchakarma (five cleansing actions) and Yoga uses Shat Karma (six
purification measures).

Cleansing in Yoga and Ayurveda

Ayurveda and Yoga both emphasize cleansing of the body for health and support of
spiritual practices. Their methods are similar and work by expelling excess dosha
and ama or toxins, using the body's natural routes of elimination.

The yogic method as known in the Ashtanga tradition is Shat Karma, or six
cleansing measures. These are:

1. Neti (nasal cleansing)

Jala neti (salt water flushing of the sinuses)
Sutra neti (nasal cleaning with string)

2. Dhauti (washing the GI tract)

Teeth, tongue, eyes, ears and forehead
Agnisara Dhauti
Vamana Dhauti (vomiting salt water)
Vastra Dhauti (washing with a cloth)
Varisara Dhauti (washing with water for purgation)

3. Basti (enema)

4. Trataka (forehead wash, gazing into a candle flame)

5. Nauli (intestinal washing, abdominal rolling)

6. Kapala Bhati (skull shining)

The Ayurvedic method for cleansing and rejuvenation is known as Panchakarma, or

five cleansing actions. This program is usually done for a week or two, but can
also be done for longer periods depending on the case. The five actions of this
method are:

1. Anuvasana Basti (Enema)

2. Asthapana Basti

3. Nasya (Nasal application of herbs and herbal oils)

4. Vamana (Therapeutic vomiting)

5. Virechana (Purgation)
Some add Rakta Mokshana (Blood letting) as one more cleansing procedure.

Ayurvedic approach to Asana practice

The use of asana, pranayama, and meditation for healing is known as Yoga Chikitsa
or Yoga Therapy and has been used for thousands of years by Ayurvedic and yogic
adepts. In Yoga Chikitsa, a group of yogic exercises are chosen that will best
support the individual and are practiced daily. This can be done over an extended
period of time in conjunction with an Ayurvedic regime and herbal and dietary
therapies. Yoga Chikitsa also plays an integral role in the Ayurvedic cleansing
and rejuvenation process known as panchakarma.

For a well balanced personal yoga practice, it is important to take into

consideration the individual’s body structure, prakruti (original constitution),
and vikruti (present constitutional imbalance). The following are general
recommendations according to the predominant dosha.

Vata predominant individuals should remember to focus on calming, grounding,

stillness, strengthening, and balancing while doing their practice.

Precautions for vata:

* Flowing postures (not to stay in one posture for long instead doing quickly and
repeatedly to initiate) tend to move too quickly from one pose to the next and can
aggravate the hyper-mobile quality of vata over time. Flowing sequences can be
made to be more vata pacifying if they are not excessively long, the duration of
time, poses are held is extended and transitions are done slowly and consciously.

Pitta individuals should maintain a calm, cool, and relaxed intention while doing
asanas. Pitta types may benefit from trying to cultivate an attitude of
forgiveness, and of surrendering or offering the fruits of their practice to the
divine or to those who are in need of a positive healing energy. Because asana
practice tends to generate heat in the body, it is best to do them at cooling
times of the day, such as dawn or dusk. Also, it is useful to place some emphasis
on poses that help to release excess heat from the body, such as poses that
compress the solar plexus and poses that open the chest like.

Kapha types tend to be sedentary and often dislike vigorous yogic practices. For
this reason, their practice should be energetic, warming, lightening, and
stimulating, providing they are physically capable. Flow style posture is good for
Kapha because it is dynamic and moves quickly from one pose to the next, it
induces sweating and gets the heart pumping.

Yoga poses that address specific doshic problems can be easily added to an
Ayurvedic regime and integrated into an existing yoga routine, or they can be
organized as a small session with the help of an Ayurvedic clinician who knows
each individual case well and can help set up a well balanced program according to
the needs of each client.

Ayurveda also offers Yoga Chikitsa, or Yoga Therapy, for specific doshic
disorders. It is advised to consult an Ayurvedic practitioner for an
individualized regime.

Ayurvedic Approach to Pranayama, Bandha and Mudra (breathing techniques, locks and
mudra)
The ultimate goal of pranayama is to calm the mind and prepare it for meditation.
It also has a therapeutic effect on the physical body as well. It is not essential
to do a pranayama practice according to dosha, but knowing its effects on the
body, is a valuable tool for management of the doshas. Below is a general list of
pranayama and bandha exercises according to dosha.

Vata: Nadi Shodhana, Kapala Bhati, Agnisara Dhauti, Ujjayi, Tri Bandha, Maha
Mudra.

Pitta: Sheetali or Sitkari, Nadi Shodhana.

Kapha: Bastrika, Agnisara Dhauti, Kapala Bhati, Ashvini Mudra (contracting and
releasing Mula Bandha), Ashvini Mudra, Ujjayi, Tri Bandha, Maha Mudra.

Furthermore, the Six Purifications (Shatkarma) told earlier is an ancient method

from the Hath Yoga for purifying the gross and subtle body in order to prepare it
for more advanced practices. They are tridoshic and safe for everyone, provided
they are performed correctly.

Meditation According to Dosha

These spiritual paths and their meditation techniques can be practiced by anyone,
regardless of their prakriti. This list is only intended to give an idea of how
dosha can support or influence one’s spiritual practice. Many traditions of Yoga
blend various aspects of the paths listed here.

* Vata: Kriya Yoga or Ashtanga Yoga and other structured techniques help to keep
vata stabilized and focused.

* Pitta: Jnana Yoga and Vedanta are good for pitta types because they often have
sharp intellects and have a keen interest in self-study (Atma-vichara).

* Kapha: Bhakti Yoga is natural for Kapha types because they are often loving and
devotional by nature.

Ayurvedic and Yogic Diet

Ayurveda is more concerned with food being constitutionally balanced, while Yoga
promotes a diet that is satvik (light and pure). A combination of both aspects is
the best choice for a yogi or anyone wanting to make real progress on a spiritual
path.

Ayurvedic diet:

* According to dosha.
* Primarily vegetarian (meat is used as medicine, mainly for extreme
deficiencies).
* Primarily cooked (raw food in moderation, especially for vata types).
* Containing six tastes.

Yogic diet:

* Satvik vegetarian diet.

* Easy to digest.
* Simple meals (to limit desire).
* Both cooked and raw.
* Foods recommended in the Hatha Yoga Pradipika consist of rejuvenating substances
such as wheat, whole grain, white basmati, corn, raw milk, raw sugar, butter,
ghee, honey, dried ginger, mung, beans, pure water, and vegetables.
* Fruits, roots and nuts.
* Avoiding excessive hot, sour, salty, fermented, and fried foods.
* Avoiding tamasic (dulling) foods like meat, onions, garlic and mushrooms as a
regular part of the daily diet.

It is obvious that Ayurveda and Yoga not only complement each other but both
sciences actually embrace each other as they share similarities of fundamental
principles on many levels. Ayurveda and Yoga should go hand in hand if we want to
achieve optimal health, peace, and longevity.

For more information on Ayurveda and Yoga visit our website-

http://vedamayurherbals.com or contact us at info@vedamayurherbals.com